Game Preview: Back on the road, Raiders look to start stacking wins in New Orleans

Oct 25, 2022 at 03:38 PM

Rachel Gossen

Digital Managing Editor

The Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) begin a two-game road trip this week with a matchup against the New Orleans Saints (2-5).

Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PT from Caesers Superdome.

Broadcast information

Table inside Article
Network/Flagship	Play-by-play	Color Analyst
TV: CBS	Kevin Harlan	Trent Green
Local Radio: KOMP 92.3 FM and KRLV "Raider Nation Radio 920 AM"	Jason Horowitz	Lincoln Kennedy
Spanish Radio: Deportes Vegas 1460 AM	Cristian Echeverria	Harry Ruiz

Related Links

What to watch for

The Saints are coming off a high-scoring Thursday Night Football loss to the Cardinals with a lot of questions on the roster due to a long list of injuries. With the extra time gained from the primetime affair, some of the team's missing pieces could potentially return in time for Sunday. New Orleans' offense has taken a hit with injuries to both of its starting WRs: Michael Thomas (foot) has been sidelined since Week 3 and Jarvis Landry (ankle) since Week 4. However, rookie Chris Olave has stepped up in their absences, recording 106 yards on seven receptions last week, and leads all rookie WRs with 495 receiving yards so far.

There's also the question of who the Raiders defense could face at QB. Jameis Winston started the first three games for the Saints before suffering both back and ankle injuries. While he has dressed for games the past two weeks, Andy Dalton has gotten the start as Winston continues to recover.

As for the Raiders, they'll be looking to continue riding momentum from their decisive Week 7 win. Sunday marked the first time the Silver and Black have won a game after the bye week since 2016 – which coincidentally, was also a win over the Houston Texans. As they close in on the halfway point of the season, Head Coach Josh McDaniels feels the team is really finding their groove.

"We just had to kind of get into a rhythm and start just doing our job. And sometimes the answer isn't, we need one guy to go out there and make a miracle play. That's not really the answer," he said Monday. "The answer is we just all got to go out there and do what our responsibility is, and I thought our guys started to click when they started to do that. And that's a simple formula."

Matchup history

The Raiders lead the all-time regular season series against the Saints, 7-6-1, since their first matchup that came in 1971. The last time the two teams met was on Sept. 21, 2020, in the first ever game played in Allegiant Stadium. The Silver and Black got the win, 34-24, over New Orleans.

Current stats

Following Week 7, the Raiders offense ranks ninth in the league in total offense (367.2 yards per game), 12th in passing (238.7 ypg), 11th in rushing (128.5 ypg) and third in points (27.2 ppg). Defensively, the Raiders rank 24th in total defense (366.7 ypg), 27th in passing (262.7 ypg), eighth in rushing (104.0 ypg) and 26th in points allowed (25.0 ppg).

The Saints rank third in total offense (398.3 ypg), eighth in passing (256.3 ypg), eighth in rushing (142.0 ypg) and seventh in points (25.0 ppg). Defensively, the Saints rank 14th in total defense (340.4 ypg), 16th in passing (217.3 ypg), 22nd in rushing (123.1 ypg) and 31st in points allowed (28.6 ppg).

Numbers to know

WR Davante Adams needs seven touchdown receptions to become the seventh player in league history with 12 receiving TDs in five of his first nine seasons.
Adams needs 78 receptions in 2022 to become the first player in NFL history to reach 115 receptions in three consecutive seasons.
QB Derek Carr needs 166 pass completions to join Peyton Manning as the only players in NFL history with 300 completions in each of their first nine years in the NFL.
DE Maxx Crosby needs 9.0 sacks to become the third player in franchise history to record at least 40.0 sacks in his first four years in the league.
RB Josh Jacobs needs 52 rushing yards to move into seventh most rushing yards in franchise history, passing Pete Banaszak (3,720).
Jacobs needs one rushing touchdown to move into a tie for third all-time in franchise career rushing TDs.
WR Hunter Renfrow needs 85 receiving yards to surpass Michael Crabtree for 21st on the Raiders all-time receiving list.
TE Darren Waller needs 39 receiving yards to move into second all-time in franchise history for most career receiving yards by a tight end, surpassing Dave Casper (3,294) and trailing only Todd Christensen (5,872).

Notable connections

Raiders senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan served as the Saints defensive coordinator from 2013-15.
Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen served in the same position for the Raiders from 2012-14.
Saints offensive line coach Doug Marrone was drafted by the Raiders in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL Draft.
Saints passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry was a seventh-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2002 Draft, and played in 76 career games with the team.

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A Las Vegas Raiders beanie in the locker room prior to the Las Vegas Raiders' arrival for their regular season home game against the Houston Texans at Allegiant Stadium.